Committee inquiries emerged as a main point of focus during a CPA UK programme for clerks from the Parliament of Fiji on February 20-22, 2024.

This activity was delivered in Westminster at the request on the Parliament of Fiji, following a successful visit to Fiji by a UK parliamentary delegation in June 2023.

A delegation comprising senior committee clerks from four out of the parliament’s six standing committees journeyed to the UK. Contrasting with the UK House of Commons, which consists of 650 MPs, the unicameral Parliament of Fiji comprises 55 members. Additionally, while UK committees typically have 11 members, in Fiji committees have a membership of five.

To address the unique challenges of delivering committee scrutiny within a smaller legislature, the programme was split between one day in the UK Parliament and a further two days of activities in the Welsh Parliament (Senedd Cymru) in Cardiff, organised in partnership with Senedd officials.

Komal Kushboo, Senior Clerk to the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, shared that:

“This programme provided us with a platform to enhance our knowledge on parliamentary practice and processes. The experience we gained from the UK Parliament has enabled us to capture the best practices and implement it back in our legislature.

Fiji’s six Standing Committees were established a decade ago, in 2014. Recently the Parliament of Fiji amended their standing orders to allow for these committees to conduct inquiries. A small number of inquiries have since begun.

The Parliament of Fiji is currently reviewing how it approaches inquiries, and aims to create frameworks that will guide this process. Discussions with UK Parliament counterparts emphasized the importance of developing concise, high-quality inquiry resources. For example, UK clerks ensure that inquiry terms of reference, that establish the inquiry parameters, are detailed in no more than one-page.

In the Senedd, committees benefit from support an In the Senedd, committees benefit from an integrated team of officials from various departments, including research, communications, and engagement. These staff members are embedded into the work of the committees, and regularly attend it’s private meetings alongside clerks. This collaborative approach was identified as crucial for supporting inquiries, enabling members to gain accurate information and understand issues first hand through activities like site visits and meetings with affected parties.

The programme complemented the Fijian Parliament’s collaboration with stakeholders on the committee inquiry process, including counterparts in New Zealand and Australia.